Monday, April 07, 2008

I got a clever email recently from another SEO (who shall remain nameless), it's a very creative brand building promotion that didn't cost this person a dime to implement.

I want to share the email because it's a great way to generate exposure especially if you have a small marketing budget but need a big way to attract attention. While I changed the email verbiage to protect the sender, the full spirit and process of the promotion is there.

The email was sent to the friends, customers and newsletter participants of this SEO. The "gift" mentioned in the copy was impressive and extremely valuable, a definite motivator. Here's the email:

Subject: Want A Complimentary Really Nice Gift at SMX Munich?

Hey there, this will just take a couple of seconds!

SMX Munich is right around the corner and I'll be there! The first client that comes up to me and asks for a Really Nice Gift will get it, no strings attached and no April Fools joke.

Well ok, there is one string attached.

Popular SEO Website is running a contest and the grand prize is a ticket to SMX Munich. If you want my Really Nice Gift, you need to get me to Munich!

So go to their site and post a comment telling them you want me – Great SEO Guru - to have the free ticket to SMX and include a link back to my site. (Provides URL)

After all, you can’t get the Really Nice Gift if I’m not at the show in Munich right?

The point of the promotion wasn't to get a bunch of comment links, it was to motivate people to talk about the Great SEO Guru on a highly visible website. He used a contest someone else was running to promote himself and maybe win a free ticket worth over a thousand bucks in the process.

A couple people talk about you, others go to investigate. Lots of eyeballs read that post and lots of people noticed the multiple comments being left for the Great SEO Guru. Pretty smart.

For the ten minutes it took to write the email and send it, I'd say that was a great return on exposure investment.